Surgical appliance



Dec. 15, 1936. E. E. LONGFlLLQW I 2,064,672

SURGICAL APPLIANCE v Filed Oct. 10, 1935 W 6 INVENTOR.

BY a )ATTORNEK.

Patented Dec. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES SURGICAL APPLIANCE Earl E. Longfellow, Warsaw, Ind., assignor to Harry Herschel Leiter, Warsaw, Ind.

Application October 10, 1935, Serial No. 44,400

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in surgical appliances wherein a skeletal wire is supported in a state of tension after its insertion through an injured limb and traction is subsequently applied transversely thereto. One of the objects of the invention is to provide a wire holding bow, the arms of which may be readily spaced adjustably apart to accommodatingly suit the breadth of the injured limb and sustain the skeletal wire under proper tension lengthwise. Another object is to provide a bow structure with separable parts for skeletal wire that are easily disassembled for convenient transportation, and reassembled suitably as required for use. Other advantages and objects of the invention appear in the following description.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:--

Fig. 1 is a front elevation showing various parts of the apparatus assembled for use, portionsbeing broken away; and

Fig. 2 is a side elevation projected from Fig. 1.

The illustrative embodiment of the invention preferably consists of a pair of arms I and 2 mounted upon a cross-bar 3 each end portion of which has made therein a series of spaced perforations 4, and said end portions extend loosely through slots 5 made respectively in said arms. By means of removable anchor pins 6 the arms are adjustably secured to the cross-bar at points thereon spaced apart by maneuvering the arms so as to permit insertion of the pin 6 through the slotted enlargements I on said arms and selectively through the perforations 4 in the crossbar. By this arrangement said arms are initially positioned so that the upper portions thereof are substantially parallel with each other and spaced apart suitably to be placed astride of injured members of different breadths. The slots 5 are of suflicient length as to admit of limited pivotal movement of the arms upon the corresponding pins 6.

The upper ends of the arms I and 2 have fitted thereon corresponding blocks 8 that are secured to said arms by screws 9 and are disposed to have clamping engagement with a skeletal wire II] when positioned transversely with respect to the arms between the blocks and adjacent faces of the arms upon tightening of said screws.

The lower portions of the arms preferably are curved inwardly toward each other and the lower extremities thereof are bifurcated as indicated by II for the reception of an interconnecting tie-rod I2. One end of said rod is secured in the bifurcated end of the arm I by a pivot I3, and the opposite end portion of said rod is threaded and has thereon an adjusting nut I4. Also, on said rod between said adjusting nut and the outer face of the bifurcated end of the arm I is disposed a rocker I5 through which the threaded rod has free axial sliding movement. The inner end of the rocker has a bearing lug I6 that projects into a curved seat I'l made transversely in the outer face of the arm I by means of which the rocker is prevented from slipping accidentally out of engaging position while the skeletal wire I0 and tie-rod I2 are in operating position.

The projecting end portions of the cross-bar 3 preferably are provided with coupling hooks I8 that extend through the corresponding perforations 4 therein and are for convenient attachment of a cable I9 or other suitable expedient for applying traction to the appliance as in the customary manner.

In using the invention, the skeletal wire I0 is inserted through the flesh and bone of the injured member (not shown), the bone being drilled through to accommodate the wire. As in the usual practice, after the wire is thus positioned, its end portions project outwardly from the flesh on the corresponding sides of said member. The end portions of the wire are then secured in connection with the arms by the clamping blocks 8, after which the adjusting nut I4 is turned on the tie-rod, which causes pivotal movement of the arms on the pins 6 and consequent tension of the tie-rod and skeletal wire. The coupling hooks are then connected by cables with weights or other suitable means (not shown) to apply tractional force to the appliance in the direction transversely with respect to the skeletal wire.

I claim:-

1. A surgical appliance of the class described, consisting of a pair of arms mounted upon a cross-bar, each end portion of which bar has made therein a series of spaced perforations and extends loosely through slots made respectively in said arms, removable anchor pins inserted through said arms and selectively through said perforations thereby to secure said arms in positions more or less spaced apart from each other, clamping means on the upper ends of said arms for securing therebetween a skeletal wire, a tierod provided with an adjusting nut, interconnecting said arms at the ends thereof opposite said clamping means and operable to apply tension to the wire secured in said clamping means,

thereon to tilt said arms on their connections with said cross-bar, clamping means in connection with said arms for securing a skeletal wire thereto so that by manipulation of said adjusting means more or less tension is applied to the wire secured in said clamping means, and a traction means connected with said cross-bar at the outer ends thereof.

EARL E. LONGFELLOW. 

